Almost
by Sarah Sanderson
Summary: There is a mysterious girl appearing across time. She says she's on a mission to SAVE EVERYONE. She's going to try and fake everyone's deaths so that she can save them without changing history, taking them to a point in the future that is the furthest she can ever go or knows about, a point that she calls "Miracle Day": 1st of September 2017: everything changes. But at what cost?
1. Chapter 1

_Almost_

**A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Sarah Sanderson**

This idea has been floating around in my head for nearly three years, but I always struggled to find a way to tell it. Should I follow the point of view of the protagonist? Or see her though other's eyes? Should I follow a linear narrative or be creative with the order of the events I show you in order to give them greater significance? This character and her story have become almost a part of me I've planned and re-planned how to tell this story right so many times. I believe I have found the way now.

**Chapter 1: **_**Remember Me**_

**February 2****nd**** 1994**

The Door to the Department of Mysteries always drew the eye, especially the eye of those with a thirst for knowledge like Percy Weasley. He watched the Unspeakables who worked there come and go with an ever growing sense of frustration at the secrecy surrounding them. It was said even the Minister for Magic Him Self did not know all that went on in there. Percy knew the Department was originally set up back when the Ministry of Magic was still the Wizard's Council and it's purpose then was to investigate The Eleusinian Mysteries that the ancient Greek and Roman wizards and muggles alike have defined. To Percy's knowledge these included Love, Space, Thought, Time, and Death. Although how one was to properly investigate such un-tangible things was beyond Percy's reasoning, and he had long since suspected that the original purpose of the Department had been abandoned in favour of other more logical pursuits the Ministry required hidden behind a veil of pretentious mystery until the results where needed.

This logical assumption had however never stopped his wandering eye from locking onto the door every time he went past it, as if he was being pulled in by some unknown force. Of course he always shook himself off and told himself not to be so absurd and walked on. However today something grabbed his attention right back almost as soon as he had begun to walk on – a girl of about 14 came bursting out of the door like one of Fred and George's firecrackers with just as loud a bang. Percy stared in utter shock as she chaotically dashed his way and, upon seeing him, hurtled straight at him to grab his shoulders. There was something in her eyes, was that recognition? But how? He was sure he'd never seen her before…

"Percy! Oh thank Merlin! Where are the others? What's happened?! Percy?!" She was shaking with panic and fear but all Percy could do was stare blankly down at her. What others? How did she know his name? He felt a jarring headache coming on just above his left temple. She was staring at him wide eyed now, her voice thick and determined but also full of fear "Percy. Where are Harry and the others?" Her lower lip trembled as she said Harry's name. "At school, I'm assuming" Percy replied, the only logical answer he could come up with given the strangeness of it all. Should he try and get her back inside the Department from which she fled? What was a girl her age even doing in the Ministry unaccompanied? People in the hall around him where beginning to stop and stare. Some seemed concerned but most like him just looked confused. Her eyes where wide now, searching for something… her voice hesitant, like she was scared to ask "_Percy?"_ she half spoke half breathed his name. "Tell me you recognise me? Tell me you know who I am".

"I'm sorry miss" and strangely he did feel horribly heart breakingly sorry for her in that moment, though for the world he didn't know why. His headache was getting worse. "I have never seen you before in my life" and she seemed to crumble from the inside out. Her head was shaking side to side like she was trying to shake away dizziness, or block something out. "But – but you _know_ me. You've known me since I was ten years old. You have to remember me, you have to -" her voice hitched as she began to panic, her fingers digging in to his arms where she held onto him. "Remember all those Christmases, and catching me out of bounds all those times my first year? And – and -" her whole body was shaking and she was clearly hysterical. What on earth was going on?!

There was another Bang as one of the Unspeakable Percy recognised came rushing out of the Department. She stopped still when he saw her, somehow even more confused than Percy. She saw Percy's line of vision and followed it to the Unspeakable, took in a shuddering breath and ran for it, spring to the lifts like there was no tomorrow. Then Percy blinked and she was gone. He turned to the Unspeakable for an explanation but he was just standing there rubbing the back of his head, clearly no more in the know that Percy. Slowly the man turned and wondered back into the Department, closing the door carefully behind him. Percy allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction that an Unspeakable with all their secrets knew no more than he did, and then continued along his way.

When he went to tell his father about the strange occurrence that night at dinner he found it difficult to even focus on it. It was really nothing; he'd just bumped into her was all. Nothing to really think about. And just like that the strange girl was lost from his mind altogether.

**September 12****th**** 1974**

Remus noticed her first, growing still as his friends chortled around him. Sirius was the last, still clutching his stomach as he looked where his friends where staring. She was curled up on the grass by the lake, like she's crumpled in on herself. She didn't seem to be in uniform either, but rather a baggy T-shirt at least 5 sizes too big and rolled up at the sleeves and tight fitting jeans Sirius had never seen on a girl before. "Maybe we should…?" Remus started but Sirius and James where already wandering over to her. She looked about the same age as them, with a small build and brown hair that looked a little red where the sun hit it. James reached her first and attentively put his hand on her shoulder, making her start.

"Hey, you okay?" She looked up, utter shock in her hazel eyes. "I- I- _he_" and she was sobbing to much to get a word out. Sirius crouched down beside her and James and stared her dead in the eyes "Did some guy hurt you?" he barely held back the snarl in his voice. She shook her head vigorously at first but then slowed it to a stop as if reconsidering her option. She looked up at Remus standing beside them and pointedly began slowing her breathing before she spoke. "He didn't remember me. They – they made it so he couldn't remember me…" her breathing efforts failed her as she started dragging in one shuddering sob after another. Something twisted inside Sirius's check. I was like watching her inhale fire. What could have caused her so much pain.

"Oi! What are you boys doing to her?!" Oh great, Evans had seen them, and of course assumed the worst. "We're not doing anything! Mind your own business!" probably not the best response but Sirius felt like yelling at someone and Evans fit the bill. "Excuse me!" she came stomping over, all furry, until she saw the state the girl was in. "What's going on?" She asked in a considerably softer tone. "That's what we're trying to find out" Remus replied, sounding tired as always. They really needed to get this animagus plan to work and soon, Sirius thought to himself as Remus stepped back a bit so he could slump against the tree they'd been laughing under.

"You're – you're Lily Evans" the sobbing girl choked out, utter surprise in her shaking voice. Evans brushed some of her hair out of her face and put on an apologetic expression "Yes I'm Lily Evans. Do we have a class together or…? I'm sorry" The girl was shaking her head again, but she was also staring at Sirius and James with wide eyes like she was only just noticing who they were. There was a kind of horror there, but also what looked like the start of understanding. Sirius felt the sudden urge to put his arm around her. "Hey, it' okay. Can you tell us your name?" He needed to know her name, needed to _know_ her, which was weird. By the intent look on James's face he felt the same. What was going on?

"No – I – I can't – I – I need to go" and she was suddenly standing and walking away before Sirius had even noticed her move. He tried to follow her but she walked faster towards the trees of the forest. She can't go in there, not in her state. "Hey, come back!" she turned briefly but kept moving, her hands twisting the hem of her over long top as she disappeared into the darkening woods. Sirius went after her but she was gone. Just gone, like she's vanished. Peter, who had spent the entire exchange still sitting under the tree trying and failing to do his potions homework, came trotting up behind Sirius. "What the heck was that about?" Sirius just shook his head, her hazel eyes caught in his memory and burning into him. "I don't know, but she looked really spooked" James's attention had turned to Evans as usually but she was still staring after the girl. "Yeah, she almost looked like she'd seen a ghost…"

**January 6****th**** 1995**

"Hey Fred I thought we weren't opening for another hour?!" George called out from the main shop, causing Fred to hit his head on the crate he'd been rummaging though in the back room. "We aren't!" he yelled back, angrily rubbing the back of his head. There was a pause and then "Well there's someone here, and I didn't unlock the door…" and Fred was out of the back room and to the entrance in a shot. Sure enough there she was. A girl in her mid-teen with long brown hair was half standing half collapsing onto the display of nosebleed nougats by the entrance. When she was him her entire face lit up in a smile so briefly he nearly didn't see it before she was all sorrow and wariness.

"I didn't break in" her voice made the hairs on the back of his neck go up, he'd heard that voice before… "I need your help". Her face was blotchy and her voice was thick, she'd obviously been crying. George was standing by the stairs to the upper level, eyeing the girl suspiciously, but he couldn't see her face like Fred could. Slowly he reached out his hand to her. She stared at it like it was about to bite her for a long minute before slowly extending her own to shake it, something bitter in her eyes at the image of it. "Well I'm Fred Weasley, and this is George. How can we help you?"

…

**And that's all for now folks. Hopefully that wasn't too confusing, more solid facts about the girl and her story will come out in chapter two. I was meant to be writing chapter two for my other fic The Book of the Dead this week but it just wasn't happening so I decided a chapter of another fic was better than no chapter at all.**

**Please Review! And Watch this space…**


	2. Chapter 2

_Almost_

**A Harry Potter Fanfiction by Sarah Sanderson**

So sorry for the wait! Halloween kind of took over my life for a minute there.

A BIG thank you to mdauben, PhoenixProngs, mljbar, Zoe Potter Lightwood, Phoenix Is Rising, and nesciamena for following! And thank you to Zoe Potter Lightwood and Guest for Reviewing! I haven't really written Fanfiction in a few years so such a response really means a lot to me. Hopefully I will not disappoint you.

Just to confirm what I now realise his very unclear in chapter 1: The Girl is an OC. Sorry if I got your hopes up about it being otherwise. I promise she's not just me in Fanfiction form or anything like that, she is a fully thought out character who relates to the canon characters in a strong way.

This is a very dialogue heavy chapter. Sorry about that, it was necessary to set up the plot. This is also one of the few times we will see her explaining her origins, as it will get repetitive for you to read her explanation again and again. So think of it as heavy dialogue now to save time later.

**Chapter 2: **_**Hello Goodbye**_

**January 6****th**** 1997**

Albus Dumbledore passed his office, trying to fain nonchalance and failing miserably. It was imperative that his impending meeting went well or the consequences where catastrophic. He could not think about the lives that hung in the balance, or how many of them where only lost in the first place due to his own weakness. No, he must relax and trust that what he would say naturally is what he was always meant to say and that Time it's self would not be so carless to allow him to destroy it so easily.

There was a faint nock at the door, his gust arriving. How strange it was for her to nock, he had grown so accustomed to her just popping in. The formality felt unnerving from a girl he had known almost his entire life, but if a paradox was to be prevented formal was exactly what he had to be.

"Come in" He called, assuming his position behind his desk. The heavy door swung open and in she came, the uncertainty in her eyes and the limp way she held her body in extreme contrast to the determined behaviour of their last meeting.

"Hello Professor Dumbledore. I need your help" He waved his hand gesturing for her to take the seat facing him, which she did. "You don't recognise me" she stated rather than asked. "My dear girl I cannot be expected to remember the face of every student, most would consider it a good thing to not stand out in the Head Master's mind" she looked down at her hands that where twisting nervously in her lap. "I always thought - you always seemed to know everyone…" was that disappointment in her voice? Not a good start.

"But you knew I would not recognise you when you stepped into my office, your statement confirmed that. Is there a particular reason why I should not know you?" That was treading a little close to reviling the truth, but he had been told many times of the all-knowing air he gave off to his students, so perhaps his hidden knowledge of her condition would simply be taken as perceptive and return some of her faith in his intelligence and capability.

True to her character she looked him dead in the eyes when she answered "True. It seems you have no reason to know me. Not anymore" A cryptic response, but so was most of their dialogue for the sake of historical continuity. At least she was getting to the point. Albus leaned forward across the desk, charming his kettle to start making tea with a careless flick of his wand. "Go on"

She took a great shuddering breathe, trying to find the correct words no doubt. He wondered if this was the first time she'd had to admit it out loud. "I was a student here, and you knew me. But then, in the department of mysteries, I fell into the Bell Jar with the kitchen in it. I was watching it rise and fall, going from egg to chick to old chicken and then back again over and over. Then something, or maybe someone, hit my back hard and I fell head first into it and then… and then…"

"And then?" Albus pressed, putting on his most encouraging smile, although the fact he seemed to believe her should be encouraging enough for the moment. She smiled back meekly before going back to her story, her smile fading as she collapsed in on herself in sorrow. "And then the next thing I knew the others where all gone, the battle had just disappeared and everything was quite. I ran out the way we came and found Percy Weasley, but he didn't know me. At first I just thought he was pretending, because he's fallen out with his family, and mine I guess, but then I could see in his eyes – he really didn't know me."

"Have you encountered the same response in others?" She nodded morosely. "I was upset, and I just really wanted someone to tell me everything was going to be okay, and the next thing I knew I was on the grass in the Hogwarts grounds by the lake and it was day and – and – and _my parents_ where there."

"Your parents?" Albus pushed. He needed her to tell him her identity quickly before he said something foolish. She had warned him herself that getting her to admit who she was now would be difficult. She seemed lost for words, clearly still in shock over her sudden ability to time travel. He could only imagine how disorientating is had all been.

"My parents, and my dad's friends, they were at Hogwarts – they were Hogwarts age. I'd somehow gone back to – to before I was born. Before my parents where even together but the looks of it." Albus nodded solemnly. "So you fell into the Bell Glass in the Time room of the Department of Mysteries and now you are forgotten by those you knew and can travel in time without the aid of a time turner." She just stared at him in disbelief "You – you believe me?"

"Certainly. You seem honest in your reactions, and what purpose would such a story have if it where a lie? The Department of Mysteries have been meddling in all kinds of magic and the matter of existence it's self since it's conception – it was almost inevitable that something like this would happen eventually."

"Something like this?" she half whispered half moaned. "What exactly is this?" Albus thought hard for a moment. To simply explain it to her would come dangerously close to revelling his prior knowledge of her, but what answer to give her? In the end he settled for the default professor approach, when unwilling to simply give the answer, check what the student knows instead. "I think you know better than I my dear". She stared at him numbly before slowly bowing her head and mumbling into the desk "I've fallen out of time, somehow. I don't exist anymore". So there is was, out in the open. Albus wondered how long it would take her to come to terms with it.

"But I had an idea" her voice suddenly determined as she sat up straight again. "Indeed" Albus laced his fingers together on the desk, not an easy task with his blacked cursed hand stiff from rigamortus. She eyed his hand warily for a moment, debating whether or not to ask. She must have decided against it as she ploughed on with her idea instead. "Well I went back in time to my parents, right? Well they died. But I could save them, couldn't I? I mean I know saving them would change history and probably cause a paradox or something awful like that, but what if I did it sneakily." Albus raised an eyebrow sceptically in response. She didn't seem deterred. "I don't exist in the time line anymore, right? I can basically just pop around time and as long as I don't change the events leading up to – up to what happened to me at the ministry, then I'm fine right? No Paradox. But I could still save my parents, and other people as well – a lot of people died in the war. If I save them but make it look to the witnesses of the death like they did die, then take the person I saved to some point in the future after my time – well wouldn't that work? I wouldn't technically be changing history because to the people still in history nothing would change. For them the person would still die and in the same way at the same time and then that person would be gone, I could transfigure something to look like their body. Then I bring all the people that originally died by are now saved by me to the future and then they can be reunited with their slightly older loved ones and continue to live their lives after the war!"

"This is all assuming the war ends in our favour" Albus speculated. He had surmised many years ago from her comments that the point in time she was leaving the saved was in a post-Voldemort world. "Even if we do lose, that'll be because they killed off the rebellion right? But if they all come back-" She looked half mad half genius and Albus couldn't help but smile "Then the rebellion would suddenly have back its best fighters and have a fighting chance at winning." Immense pride suddenly washed over the Professor as he considered that this girl had originally, and not very long ago for this version of her, been educated at Hogwarts. "Were you acquainted with a Miss Hermione Granger by any chance" he couldn't help but ask. She grinned, clearly understanding the compliment in being linked with the 'brightest witch of her age'. "Yes Professor. She was in the year above me at school and we used to study together".

"Will you be getting her to assist you with this great task you have set yourself?" Such a task would require help from others, the sooner she realised this the better. She looked unsure for a moment before shaking her head. "No, not Hermione. Although her researching skill might come in handy she has enough on her plate. I – I originally went to Fred and George Weasley" Albus nodded fondly at the mention of his old students. "An interesting choice of accomplices'" Her jaw set, clearly ready to defend her friends. "They are some of the most inventive pranksters I have ever heard of, they spend all their time trying to work out how to use complex magic to create a desired effect. Usually a show of some kind. I figured they could help with the actual faking of the deaths."

"You have already spoken to them about your plans?" This surprised him, he would have expected her to come to him fist. "I went to them because I knew them, before. They didn't recognise me either. I told them my basic plan and asked for their help but I'm not sure George believed me, and I didn't explain very well what had happened to me. I wanted to talk to you about it all, so when they went to discuss whether or not to help me I just left for here"

"You came here in the normal way or with your new found powers?" She must learn to move between moments with her powers only and not risk exposer by walking around out in the open. "No, with my powers. I don't even think this is the same date as when I saw them. To be honest, I went to see them at a point in my future, they had a shop. They didn't have a shop when I last saw them. They had barely left school."

"You mean to say you went into the Ministry at the time that Professor Umbridge was here?" She nodded slowly. "They once again you have gone past your own time, We've had half a school year since she _left Hogwarts employ_. The Ministry now accepts that Voldermort has returned, and the Minister for Magic has resigned" Her face lit up at the good news. Albus was glad to see her spirits lifted but they needed to establish some ground rules before going further off topic. The timeline must be established.

"I would subject you go to the end of the war and learn all you can so you are not taken unawares again. And pick a date for the return of the saved, and make sure you never go beyond it. I would also subject finding more people to assist you. Putting all the information in one time is unwise, especially in the risk of them knowing the fates of their loved ones." She nodded solemnly. "Do you have any suggestions for people to ask Professor? I would be good to not use Fred and George too much. I knew them _before_. Them not knowing me now is kind of… _painful_."

"Why certainly. I knew a group of pranksters similarly talented journing the first war, you may have heard of them, The Marauders" Her eyes darted up in recognition. "They were at Hogwarts in the 70's, you may have heard of them. James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. I would subject you start conversations with them as early in their time line as possible, the same with all your other confidants. You cannot go back and fourth across their timeline and not suffer the repacocutions of crossing your own timeline. If they have seen a future version of you then they are in a position to revel your own future to you, which will most likely result in a paradox. Always start as early in their time line as possible and then remain on their straight time line as much as possible. Only go back before a date they have seen you if you are sure in their abilities to act as though they have not seen you."

"So having seen Fred and George in their shop I can't go back and see them before that without making sure they understand they have to act as though it's the first time they've seen me when they see me again?" Her expression was torn between concentration and, was that loss? Had she hoped to spend more time with the Weasley Twins than she now could with these rules? All seriousness Albus spoke sternly "I would strongly recommend you avoid such an occurrence all together." All his focus on her reactions he choses his words carefully. What he said next would affect his entire life "But in my case I would recommend you do go back before this meeting. I believe I am capable to acting as though I have never met you when I have, and I would make a useful assistant for you mission, but you have left meeting me rather late" He lowered his blackened hand onto the desk slowly, emphasising it to her. "I do not have much time left, and I would like the use that time to focus on the present and arrangements for my death, rather than on the complexities of your task. Not offence intended, but I'm sure you understand my wish that my last days should be my own." She looked dumbfounded, a lost child confused and alone.

"You're dying Professor?" There was real sorrow there. Albus was honestly touched. "Yes my dear. And I am asking that this be the last time in my time line that we encounter each other, but also instructing you to have faith in my acting abilities that you may go back into my past and have me help you there, or rather then, without paradoxical ramifications. Although of course, as it will always have to be, the decision is yours." Her eyes where searching his intently, alert now to the possibility that he knows her future. But she must not see anything there, or decide it's not worth a paradox to ask, as she relaxes back into her chair and looks out the window to the night sky. "If I was to go back to see you earlier in your time line, when would you recommend I go?" Good, she was learning. Albus looked out the window as well, pretending to consider before answering the date he had first met her on. His time with her coming full circle. "I would not approach me at Hogwarts, you'd risk changing my history too much as I spent most of my time as a student surrounded by others. Find me instead in the year after I graduated. I will warn you, it was a summer of madness. I pray you do not judge me for my blindness then, but also that you remember you position as a time traveller when tempted to save me and others from the choices made that summer and afterword. It is your plan to alter time without changing it, remember that. I would not send you back to a time I am so ashamed of if I did not wish to maximise the time and therefore help I came give to you."

And there it was. He had defended himself all he could with a clear conchus. He knew she would struggle encountering Gellert Grindalwald, but there was nothing for it. He'd chosen to be selfish with his last days so he had to send her back as far as he could to make up for it. All those years wondering why he'd sent her back there when she's see him at his worse. Well now he knew. There were things that needed his attention, and if his plans where to work he could not allow his attention to be taken by her. They sat in silence for a long moment, both processing what had been said. Finally she stood, ready to face her most daunting task? Or just wanting out of the room with the dying man?

"So this is goodbye Professor" She reached out her hand to shake his good one. He stood slowly, his age catching up with him it seemed. She was his oldest friend and truest confidant, and yet she had no idea of any of that. "This was Hello, but yes now it is Goodbye". She smiled sadly as they shook hands, could she tell the way he regarded her as an equal to him? Could she tell this was a parting of old friends and not just a student and her professor? A part of him hoped so. Maybe it would make her more compassionate of his when she saw him next in his summer of madness. He longest to say the words 'Goodbye old friend' but reason held them back. She had to believe that this could be the only time they have met, that the choice is still hers, because that is the only way the choice can be hers, and therefore their entire timeline remain paradox free. But he'd lost everyone from that time in his life; his parents, his sister and brother, his friend turned enemy. And now he was losing her, and she didn't even know what it cost him to lose her. But as always she knew the right thing to say. "Well then. Hello Goodbye" She smiled ruefully as she faded away in front of him. Off to enlist her parents no doubt. Albus nodded sadly to himself, speaking to the empty room. "Yes, old friend. Hello Goodbye."

**Bit of a sad ending there, but I felt it was important to show the impact she had "behind the scenes" as it were. I know I have once again written an entire chapter without telling you her name, I promise you'll find out in the next chapter as she will introduce herself to her first assistant by name, but in the meantime I've given you some pretty big clues as to who she is in relation to some canon characters. Probably wont come back to that for a while as she doesn't exactly go around telling people who she is, just her name – but it will come back as part of a plot point later on.**

**Please Review! And Watch this space…**


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